"I am sure that some people think what I’m doing is daft, but I’m having great fun."
The trend of parents and kids wearing matching outfits is one that divides opinion, but for Laura Hampson it became the perfect lockdown hobby.
The mum-of-one, from Wigan, has been coordinating her outfits with ‘mini me’ daughter, Darlene, since her baby was just a few weeks old.
Laura, 38, works as a visual merchandiser for Monki and has a keen eye for fashion - but insists their lockdown hobby started by accident.
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Laura said: “One day I dressed Darlene in a yellow jumpsuit and later thought ‘I have something similar to this’.
"I put my jumpsuit on and asked my partner Daryl to take a photo of us matching, just for a laugh.
“But the response I got online was so great and it was lovely to match with her so I started to wonder what other outfits we had that were similar.
“I didn’t have to buy anything special because I was already buying Darlene clothes in styles and prints that I would wear.
“I love to wear polka dots, animal prints etc and it’s really fun to match.
"I dye some of her clothes if she has something that’s a similar pattern but a different colour to something I own.”
The fashionable pair have since matched more than 60 times in a year, with Darlene only turning one last month.
They now have a colourful wardrobe bursting with dozens of matching outfits.
Laura has been with partner Daryl, 34, for 15 years and Darlene is their first child. The couple were elated to discover they were expecting a girl.
Laura said: “I would have been happy either way but I was thrilled to know I was having a mini me.
“I didn’t buy too much before she was born, I wanted to wait and see what styles and colours would suit her, but I am making up for it now.
“She has a bursting wardrobe and if I see something in the sale, even if she can’t wear it for a few years, I buy it and store it away.”
Laura, who has worked in fashion for the last 15 years, added: “I love to dress her up.
"I absolutely love buying Darlene clothes and I buy more for her than for myself and that’s saying something.
“I have so much fun matching my outfits to hers or her clothes to mine and she pulls some great faces, her expressions are priceless. I am probably embarrassing her but she can’t tell me yet."
Laura has no plans to stop – until Darlene tells her too.
“I’m going to carry on until she is old enough to tell me she isn’t dressing the same anymore," she laughs.
“I buy a lot of sale items and bargain preloved bits that she can grow into, so I am well stocked to match with her for years yet.”
Laura and Darlene’s matching style has attracted plenty of positive comments online and Laura is even stopped by strangers in the street.
She said: “Obviously we don’t match all the time.
"Darlene has great outfits that I don’t have and I have clothes in styles that wouldn’t suit a baby but when people see us out they are disappointed if we don’t look the same that day.”
Laura added: “Before I had Darlene I probably would have cringed if I saw someone do this and I am sure that some people think what I’m doing is daft, but I’m having great fun and I have so many favourite outfits I can’t choose.
“I had Darlene during lockdown, it’s just been the two of us a lot of the time so it’s just something to look back on, it’s just a good laugh."
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